BBC Monitoring announces job cuts

Management at BBC Monitoring have today (Monday 17 January) confirmed plans to cut 72 posts, 67 of them from the Caversham base.

Briefings of staff and BECTU officials took place today; staff teams based overseas were also due to be advised of the planned changes.

Management explained that total savings of £3m were a necessary response to cuts in Cabinet Office funding of £1.5m due to be implemented in April 2011 and in April 2012.

The initial plans indicate that just 18 new posts will be created as a result of the reorganisation; 11 of these posts are due to be located abroad with just seven in the UK.

Dan Cooke, national official, will be leading the BECTU team involved in the 30 day consultation period.

"The planned cuts are clearly substantial and hit Caversham particularly hard. We'll be doing all we can to lessen the impact of the budget cuts on people and to support members during the consultation."